LG 47LM670T

If you’ve got a packed living room, the costs of active-shutter 3D glasses can swiftly spiral. This excellent 47in LG uses passive tech, works nearly as well as its active-enabled rivals, and has five pairs of specs in the box as standard. Get your mates to bring their cinema specs with them and you’ll have a fully 3D party in seconds.

£330

Motorola Xoom 2 ME 16GB

Small but talented, the 8.2in Xoom 2 Media Edition is a good-looking tablet that’s a fine, affordable alternative to the iPad. With Android Honeycomb in the driving seat, it’s great for sofa socialising and train viewing, and for running the apps we’ve recommended on its bright 1280x800 screen.

£300

Panasonic DMR-HW100

If you don’t want to shell out for a monthly TV subscription, your best bet is a Freeview HD PVR. This Panasonic is easy to use, has a large 320GB hard-disk and two tuners, meaning that you can record one broadcast while watching another – making it great for ping-pong catch-up.

£400

Onkyo TX-NR414

The entry-level model in Onkyo’s all-new network receiver range, the 5.1 system TX-NR414 is – as you’d expect – simpler and smaller than its bigger brother (left). It’s still more than powerful enough to fill most front rooms with stadium-style sonics, though, so if you didn’t manage to nab a ticket, you won’t feel left out.

£600

Q Acoustics 2000i 5.1

The perfect speaker foil for the TX-NR414 receiver, this 5.1-speaker Q Acoustics system is small enough to be unobtrusive, yet muscular enough for most needs, with excellent speaker-to-speaker cohesion. It’s just the ticket for that ‘sitting in the stadium squinting at people running fast’ feel.

£300

Hay Helgo L Beanbag

Being relegated to the lounge beanbag is usually a demeaning experience, but your Games-watching guests will be clamouring for a spot on this Tetris-styled Danish chair. The Helgo L is strong enough to sit free-standing or propped against a wall, and comes in festive red, green or grey.